Rotary cut-off head



Sept. 18, 1956 R. E. SELTZER 4 ROTARY CUT-OFF HEAD Filed Feb. 13, 1952 48 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,763,297 ROTARY CUT-OFF HEAD Robert Edward Seltzer, Bellevue, Ohio, assignor to The American Baler Company, Bellevue, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 13, 1952, Serial No. 271,359 9 Claims. (Cl. 140-93) This invention relates to cut-off and gripping heads, particularly for use with wire tying or twisting devices, such as are employed for banding bales of agricultural material, industrial material, or waste.

The particular object of this invention is the provision of an improved mechanism for severing the banding wire preparatory to the twisting together of the ends thereof, and the gripping of the cut-off end of the wire for holding the wire while a bale is being formed.

Another object is the provision of a simplified construction for a cut-off and gripping head of the nature referred to. 7

Another object is the'provision of an integral unit for performing both the functions of cutting off the wire and gripping the cut-off end of the wire.

It is also an object to provide a rotary cut-off and gripping head which will effect a clean severing of. the wire and at the same time will provide an extremely strong anchor for the cut-off wire so that bales can be formed under high pressure.

A still further object is the provision of a cut-off and wire gripping device which can be readily dismantled for adjustment, replacement of parts, or repair at any time.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent on reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front and gripping head according to my invention; 7 V

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the cut-off and gripping head looking in from the left side of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view indicated by line 3-3 on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view indicated by line 4-4 of Figure 2 and showing the parts of the device in the position they occupy immediately after a wire has been cut oif.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the device in the act of severing a wire;

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the device of this invention; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating diagrammatically the position of the device relative to the banding wire on which it operates.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the rotary cut-off and gripping head according to this invention comprises a block 10 having a central bore 12 into which extends a shaft 14 that is drivingly connected with the block in any suitable manner so that rotation of the shaft will also drive the block. The direction of rotation of the shaft and block during'operation is indicated by the arrow 16 in Figure l and the arrow 18 in Figure 3.

As will be seen in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6, block 10 is notched out on its opposite corners as at 20 and disposed within each notch is an arm 22. The arm 22 pivots about the pivot screw 24 that is threaded into the block and which extends through the said arm 22 and the stationary plate 26. Plate 26, which is of, the configuration best elevational view of a rotary cut-off Patented Sept. 18, 1956 ice seen in Figure 3, comprises an arcuate portion 28 the. serves as an edge for cooperating with the arcuate cutoff edge 30 of the adjacent arm 22. The plate 26 is secured to a suitably machined surface on the back of block 10 by the screws 32. At the corner of plate 26 remote from the said screws 32, the block 10 has an upstanding triangular projection 34 on which the plate rests. In this manner the pivot screw 24 can be drawn down tightly without any danger of binding arm 22.

As will best be seen in Figures 2 and 4, the portion of the block 10 adjacent the face of arm 22 opposite plate 26 is somewhat spaced from the said arm as indicated by the space 36 in the said views.

Further, the block 10 has a recess or notch 38 formed therein and it will be apparent on reference to Figures 2 and 4 that there will be no severing of the wire on that side of arm 22, whereas on the opposite side of the said arm, the arm passes close by the cutting edge of plate 26 and a severing action does take place.

For actuating the two arms 22 about their pivotal supports on block 10, each of the said arms comprises a cam follower 39 projecting therefrom toward the back of block 10 and at the end of the associated arm remote from. the arcuate cutting edge 30 thereof.

The cam followers 39 project backwardly into a stationary cam plate 40 which has formed thereon an outer cam portion 42 and an inner cam portion 44. The ends of the cam portions 42 and 44 are spaced apart sufliciently far to permit the cam followers 39 to pass therebetween. Further, the ends of the cam surfaces are inclined as indicated by the numerals 46 and 48 so that they have a camming actionon the cam followers 39 as block 10 rotates.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be apparent that counterclockwise rotation of block 10 from the position indicated will serve to carry the cam follower 39 of the lower arm 22 inside outer cam portion 42 thereby to lock the said arm in the position illustrated. On the other hand, the rotation of the block will cause the cam follower 39 of the upper arm 22 to cam outwardly over the inclined surface 46 at the end of inner cam 44 thereby to drive the associated arm 22 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot and thereby to move the cutting and gripping end of the arm inwardly.

This same action will be seen in Figure 3 which is a viewlooking in from the back of Figure l and in which the block 10 takes a clockwise rotation.

In employing the rotary cut-off and gripping head of. the present invention in connection with a baler, an arrangement, such as is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 7, might result. In Figure 7 the bale is being formed in the space indicated by reference numeral 50, and about which there passes the baling or banding wire 52. The one end of the wire 52 is gripped at 54 by one of the arms of the rotary cut-off and gripping head 56. From the point 54, the wire passes around the bale and then goes to a reel 58 on the opposite side of the baling chamber from the rotary cut-off and gripping head. It will be understood that when the rotary cut-off and gripping head is stationary, as during the forming of a bale, it. occupies a position slightly clockwise from the position it occupies in Figure 1, so that the end of the wire at the right side of the view is gripped and held.

When it is desired to band the bale, a needle or some other suitable device is employed for thrusting the wire 52 across the back of the bale into the position in which it is illustrated in Figure 7. At this time the length of wire extending from reel 58 to beyond the rotary cutoff and gripping head passes beneath the nose of the arm of the said device opposite the one which is gripping wire 52 at point 54. The other portion of the thrustacross wire, which is that portion which passes around the bale, is spaced forwardly of the nose of the arm;

It will now be evident the rotary cut-off and gripping head in as will be seen at 60 in Figure 7. that rotation of of the rotary cut-off and gripping head.

Other devices,

and conditions, and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cut-ofif continuously in one direction.

' 3. In a cut-off and gripping head of the nature described; a rotary member, an arm pivoted tothe member and having one end extending beyond the edge of the member with a nose part projecting in the-direction of rotation of the member forming anopening flaring 4 said member having a shoulder on the other side of said nose part spaced therefrom and in substantial axial alignment with the said shearing edge on the member, a

part outwardly away rotation of said member in one direction.

4. In a cut-off and gripping head of the nature described; a rotary member, an arm pivoted to the member and havof movement of said member.

5. A rotary cut-ofl? and gripping head of the nature described comprising; a rotary member, a pair of arms rotation of said member in one direction.

6. A rotary cut-01f and gripping device comprising; a rotatable block, a shaft supporting the block for driving itin rotation, said block having recesses in its face adstationary cam means adjacent the block including cam surfaces engaging the ends of said arms opposite the said nose parts for moving the arms during rotation of said member so that each arm has its nose part moved inwardly during substantially 180 of revolution of the block, means comprising a shoulder on the block adjacent each nose part but axially spaced therefrom and a surface on the block underneath each nose part for crimping the end and clamping the wire cut off by inward movement of each nose part, and means for rotating said block continuously in one direction.

7. A rotary cut-ofi and gripping device comprising; a rotatable member having circumferentially space shearing edges thereon, an arm pivoted to the member adjacent each said edge and each arm comprising a cutting edge, each cutting edge cooperating with the adjacent shearing edge to cut off a wire therebetween upon movement of the arm, each cutting edge and the adjacent shearing edge defining circumferentially directed openings for receiving a wire to be cut, stationary cams adjacent the rotary member engaging the arms for moving said arms alternately into and out of cutting position as said member rotates, a shoulder formed on the member adjacent each arm on the side thereof opposite the associated shearing edge but axially spaced from the arm and about which shoulder the wire bends when it is cut so that at the same time the wire is cut it is also crimped and gripped, and means for rotating said member continuously in one direction.

8. A rotary cut-off and gripping device comprising; a rotatable member having circumferentially spaced circumferentially extending shearing edges thereon, an arm pivoted to the member adjacent each said edge at a point circumferentially spaced from the pertaining edge and each arm comprising a cutting edge, each cutting edge cooperating with the adjacent shearing edge to cut oil a wire therebetween upon movement of the arm, each cutting edge and the adjacent shearing edge defining circumferentially directed openings for receiving a wire to be cut, stationary cams adjacent the rotary member engaging ths arms engaging said arms operable for moving said arms for bringing the two sets of edges alternately into jacent the edge,

and out of cutting relation as said member rotates continuously in one direction, and a shoulder formed on the member adjacent each arm on the side thereof opposite the associated shearing edge and axially spaced from the pertaining arm and about which shoulder the wire bends when it is cut so that at the same time the wire is cut it is also crimped, said member also having surfaces against which the wire is clamped when the arms move inwardly, and means to drive said member in continuous rotation in one direction.

9. A rotary cut-ofi and gripping device comprising; a rotatable member, a recess in the face of the member adan arm pivoted in the recess having its one end extending beyond the periphery of the member and with an offset nose part projecting in the direction of rotation of the member, a circumferential shearing edge on the member positioned to cooperate with the inside edge of the said nose part to shear oil a wire when the arm is turned about its pivot to cause the said nose part to move inwardly, a shoulder on the member spaced from the arm on the opposite side thereof from said shearing edge, and stationary cam means engaging said arm for moving it about its pivot as the member rotates continuously in one direction, said cam means providing for the arm to be cammed to its inner position during about one-half a revolution of said member, said member comprising a surface under said nose part against which the nose part clamps the wire when the arm is in its inner position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

